MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2024 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Human Services
By: Representative McLean
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-42-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DIRECT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO PROVIDE FOR A NURSE PRACTITIONER TO BE PRESENT AT EACH COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR AT LEAST ONE DAY EACH WEEK IN ORDER TO PROVIDE PERSONS WITH CONTRACEPTIVE SUPPLIES AND PRESCRIPTIONS FOR CONTRACEPTIVE SUPPLIES AT NO COST TO THE RECIPIENT; TO AMEND SECTION 41-42-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING PROVISION; TO AMEND SECTION 41-42-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE NURSE PRACTITIONERS TO PROVIDE CONTRACEPTIVE SUPPLIES AND INFORMATION TO CERTAIN MINORS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 41-42-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
41-42-5. (1) The State Board of Health is authorized to receive and disburse such funds as may become available to it for family planning programs to any organization, public or private, engaged in providing contraceptive procedures, supplies, and information. Any family planning program administered by the board may be developed in consultation and coordination with other family planning agencies in this state.
(2) The board is * * * authorized to adopt and promulgate rules
and regulations to implement the provisions of this chapter.
(3) (a) The board
may provide for the dissemination of medically acceptable contraceptive
information and supplies by duly authorized persons in state and county health
and * * *
human services departments and in medical facilities at institutions of
higher learning.
(b) The department shall provide for a nurse practitioner to be present at each county health department for at least one (1) day each week in order to provide persons with contraceptive supplies and prescriptions for contraceptive supplies at no cost to the recipient.
SECTION 2. Section 41-42-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
41-42-3. For the purposes of this chapter and as used herein:
(a) "Board" means the Mississippi State Board of Health;
(b) "Department" means the State Department of Health.
(c) "Nurse practitioner" means a certified nurse practitioner duly licensed to practice his or her profession in Mississippi;
( * * *d) "Physician" means any doctor
of medicine duly licensed to practice his or her profession in
Mississippi or the state in which he or she resides and lawfully
practicing his or her profession;
( * * *e) "Contraceptive procedures"
means any medically accepted procedure designed to prevent conception;
( * * *f) "Contraceptive supplies"
means those medically approved items designed to prevent conception through
chemical, mechanical, or other means.
SECTION 3. Section 41-42-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
41-42-7. Contraceptive supplies and information may be furnished by physicians and nurse practitioners to any minor who is a parent, or who is married, or who has the consent of his or her parent or legal guardian, or who has been referred for such service by another physician or nurse practitioner, a clergyman, a family planning clinic, a school or institution of higher learning, or any agency or instrumentality of this state or any subdivision thereof.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.